BIRDS. 243 



at Koithisholm Head, Stronsay, and at several places in Hoy. 

 I am almost certain it will be found breeding in Eousay, 1 if 

 properly looked for. The young are esteemed a great delicacy. 

 The Earls of Derby had them preserved for eating at the Calf 

 of Man. We have them reserved in the old Melsetter charters." 



" The fishermen say they skim the ' soil ' off the water, and 

 carry it home to their young, collecting it off their breasts. 

 This possibly has something to do with the English name, and 

 the Orkney (Norse) name ' Lyre ' = soil, or mud washed down 

 (fat mud-banks). Lyrwa Lyrvoe, i.e. The Bay of Silt or Mud. 

 Lerwick=Lyr-wick=Mud Bay." 



Mr. T. W. Eanken informs us that he has seen both dead 

 and living specimens of this bird in Orkney, the latter in the 

 neighbourhood of Flotta. 



Probably Shearwaters are not so numerous now in Hoy as 

 they were, as it is said that wherever rats can obtain access 

 they drive them out. When in Hoy in 1888 we went over to 

 Rackwick with a cragsman, for the purpose of getting some 

 Shearwaters' eggs : we only obtained three and the three old birds, 

 which latter the man brought up with their necks broken, against 

 our expressed wish that they should be spared. Some holes 

 had been cleaned out but left on account of the wet getting in, 

 "Lyres," as the man said, being very impatient of wet at their 

 nests. We met with Shearwaters nowhere else during our 

 visit to the Orkneys in 1888. 



[Obs. Harvie-Brown, when in Orkney in July 1889, saw a few 

 Shearwaters ; and one of large size and dull colour passed within 

 200 yards of the yacht, but his view of it was much restricted 

 owing to the deep troughs of the sea. He did not think it 

 was a Manx Shearwater.] 



Fulmarus glacialis (Linn). Fulmar Petrel. 



Since Messrs. Baikie and Heddle published their book in 1845 

 several more specimens of the Fulmar have been obtained. 

 The late Mr. Heddle of Melsetter shot one at Scapa on June 



1 We certainly did not observe it at any time of the year during our residence 

 there in 1883. 



